A Deep Breath, A Sigh of Relief and A Raised Hand

Sitting in La Guardia, this morning, the intensity of this past week rolls off my shoulders and settles into a warm, little comforting place in the back of my mind. I’ve done it. I went through B.A.R. training (12 hours per day for 4 days, followed by the exam day, which is comprised of shaking and stirring; a multi-page written exam; and a blind tasting evaluation.)

The course is chock-full of information, and not designed for beginners. It is definitely a program for industry professionals, and despite my 2 1/2 years as “The Liquid Muse,” I found it incredibly challenging.

The teachers are passionate and informed leaders in the world of wine and spirits. Does it get any better than having Dale DeGroff, Paul Pacult, Doug Frost, Steve Olson and David Wondrich share their knowledge and experience all day, everyday, several days in a row? Not to mention Andy Seymore, Willy Shine, Aisha Sharpe and Leo DeGroff to support their efforts? My only complaint is not having more time to go over the many details they each had to impart and the many questions each new question conjured up.

As the panel of award-winning, renowned experts galloped through centuries of history, blind tastings of all the major spirits categories, and the study of practical application of all of it, I had moments of wondering just how I’d retain every important name, date, place and tasting note. They did their best, of course, to address our questions, but to keep moving along at a healthy clip and squeeze the whole program into a few days, it was integral that every student showed up with a solid foundation of knowledge already.

And, that’s the way it should be, right? In order for the B.A.R. program to mean something and have this certification carry some weight, it needs to be difficult. It is meant to be the test that separates the “men” from the “boys,” if you will. We get the results of our exams back in 6 weeks. Apparently, we will be reached by phone and the outcome will be explained to us – where we did well, where we could improve, and ultimately, if we can put those three little letters “B.A.R.” on our resumes.

No matter what, I do know that I’ve come out with a deeper understanding of the exciting field I work in. I’ve made some new friends from around the country, and went through the trenches with some of my existing ones. I’m ready to dip my nose into many more books and glasses to continue educating myself with both the history of cocktails, and the cutting edge trends on the horizon. And, I have a million more questions to pose…

Astor Center: The Imbiber’s Paradise

The Met. Broadway. Buggy rides in Central Park. New York has some cool must-do’s for the average tourist. However, for those of us impassioned by wine, spirits, food and what to do with them – the Astor Center is our Mecca.

Arrive at 399 Lafayette Street, and take the stairs down to enter a wonderland of wine and spirits. Bottles and brands abound – I even saw some labels I’d never heard of in the vodka aisle. (And, I thought I was pretty on top of things!) Sample wines at the sample station, peruse the shelves of organic wine and spirits and journey the world one sip at a time by filling your cart with a plethora of imported vintages. It makes me wish drinking didn’t make me intoxicated, only so I could sample more at one sitting!

But… what really blows the mind is upstairs.

The Study is built for tastings. It has flush sinks at each station and large plasma TV’s above the instructors station for a bird’s eye view of close-ups.

The Kitchen is a marvel of stainless steel built for hands-on training. (The CIA uses this 1100 square foot space, as well, I might add...)

The Gallery is an event space used for everything from wine education to private events. The brick-and-beam space lined with large widows looking onto the street below rivals that of any swanky SoHo hotspot.

This Saturday, New Yorkers have the opportunity to take Mixology classes at Astor Center with Jonathan Pogash – someone I both like and respect in the world of cocktails. A few days ago, I tried one of Jonathan’s newest inventions (not yet named!) when I swung by World Bar to say hello. It was a delicious concoction of Square One cucumber, St. Germain, Sage and… something else… but I had two so I don’t entirely recall… Only let me tell you that is was both tasty and inspired.

Register for his Crafting Summer Cocktails which takes place Saturday, June 7. Or, try Elements of Mixology on June 21. Pogash has grown up in the liquor industry, and knows a thing or two about a great drink. He is also a cocktail consultant, Gary Reagan’s right-hand man at Ardent Spirits and a hellova nice guy to boot!

Oh – and be sure to welcome Jonathan to the worldwide web. His site is Cocktail Guru, and he has recently caught the “blogging bug” as well.

The Astor Center is also the new home for the B.A.R. training, which I hope to undertake this Fall! In addition to putting another feather into my mixology cap, it is a great excuse to get to hang out at the Astor Center and use their state-of-the-art facilities. That’s a pilgrimage I can get behind!